EU Summit Links Migration to Crime, Delays Ukraine Aid

EU leaders deleted proposed language linking irregular migration to crime and threats to social cohesion from their summit conclusions, while postponing a decision on Ukraine’s funding needs. Denmark, Italy and Poland put forward the migration proposal, which around 10 countries, including Hungary, backed, diplomats told POLITICO.

The Brussels summit ended without agreement on additional Ukraine financing or the EU’s 2028–2034 budget. Leaders sent those decisions to further gatherings in November and December.

Migration debate at the summit

The proposed language came amid a dispute over Spain’s plan to regularize about 1 million irregular migrants. The plan sparked clashes with Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Denmark’s Mette Frederiksen. The final conclusions dropped the paragraphs linking irregular migration with crime and European social cohesion, keeping only a shortened version.

French President Emmanuel Macron called the debate excessively “politicized.” He said it had been “a bad debate because it has been highly politicized and it has been a major source of division around the table.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the Commission would propose an emergency response framework before the end of the year. The framework would let EU countries respond to sudden mass movements, such as the one that disrupted the Spanish exclave of Ceuta over the summer.

The summit also spent hours on a Polish-led push to weaken the emissions trading scheme ETS2. Countries backing the existing scheme defeated the proposal.

Ukraine’s funding request

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked EU leaders for at least €70 billion ($79 billion) in additional funding next year. Ukraine’s war costs, he said, would reach €155 billion ($174 billion), and the money was needed for defence, weapons and resilience. Ukraine told the G7 that €40 billion ($45 billion) of its 2027 defence needs remained unfunded.

Ukraine could produce two or three times more drones, Zelenskyy said, depending on the type, but it lacks the money. He also asked European countries to draw on their own stocks, including air-defence systems, and requested more Patriot missiles for Ukraine’s winter needs. Al Jazeera correspondent Rosie Birchard described the appeal as emotional and said using European stocks could compromise some countries’ national security.

European Council President Antonio Costa said, “This is no time to withdraw support to Ukraine. This is no time to relieve Russia’s sanctions. Now it is time to increase our support, to increase our pressure.” Von der Leyen said Russia was trying to destroy energy and water infrastructure. “But we stand by your side. We will support you as we did in the other winters,” she added. She said the €70 billion “has to be covered” and urged partner countries to “step in.”

Funding options remain unresolved

EU leaders asked the Commission to prepare a financing proposal addressing Ukraine’s additional 2027 needs. Options included another EU loan, funds from Ukraine’s non-EU allies and untapped EU funds. The EU was paying instalments of a €90 billion loan meant to cover Kyiv’s funding through the end of 2027.

Leaders also revisited the possibility of using frozen Russian central-bank assets. France 24 reported calls to tap about €200 billion, while POLITICO described discussion of roughly €300 billion. Most of the assets sit in Belgium, which remained opposed. Latvia’s premier Andris Kulbergs said, “The frozen assets are there. That’s what should be used for supporting Ukraine.”

The EU’s long-term budget totals nearly €2 trillion and includes almost €100 billion for Ukraine. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said member states were “incredibly far apart” on the seven-year budget. Leaders made no decision on the financing proposals at the summit, which concluded October 16.